Illegally convicted Ukrainians can be brought back from Russia – Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for Treatment of PoWs

Ukraine is currently aware of at least 620 criminal cases opened against Ukrainian soldiers held captive by the Russian Federation. However, even conviction will not prevent their return home.

Source: Petro Yatsenko, Head of the press service of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda.Zhyttia

Quote: "Of course, receiving bogus sentences is a major source of stress for the families of soldiers and illegally imprisoned civilians. However, from the perspective of negotiations, having a criminal sentence is not an obstacle to exchanges," the official explained.

Details: At the same time, Yatsenko believes that Russia is unwilling to exchange Ukrainians for collaborators and their military personnel, and is purposely delaying the exchange procedure, which may impede the soldiers’ return home.

Despite the Russian Federation's silence on open criminal procedures against Ukrainian military personnel, which violates the Geneva Conventions, the Coordination Headquarters obtains this information from open sources within the Russian Prosecutor's Office and media.

As of 30 June 2024, Ukraine is aware that 620 Ukrainian defenders have become "suspects" of alleged crimes.

Currently, only 29 illegally convicted soldiers have been released from prison.

According to a representative for the Coordination Headquarters, it is easier to return defenders who have already received a "sentence" to a Ukrainian-controlled area than those whose "criminal proceedings" have not yet concluded.

"When a person is under a so-called 'investigation', the Russians refuse to exchange them, citing the fact that the procedure is incomplete. There have been such precedents. When a person already has their sentence, even if it is large and fabricated, the aggressor country's justice system can no longer see it as an impediment.

If the Russians still wish to take someone from their side, a person serving a term can be exchanged. A prison sentence should not cause despair, but it is hard for families," added Petro Yatsenko.

Shortly before the second anniversary of the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka, which killed at least 53 Ukrainian soldiers, relatives of the victims and current Azov fighters urged Ukrainian parliamentarians to approve a day of remembrance for the defenders, members of volunteer formations and civilians who have been executed, tortured, or killed in custody.

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